REFERENCE TD-314/69221-06
DOI: 302156Z SEP 06
SUBJ: JAYSH AL-MAHDI PLANS TO CONTINUE ATTACKS AGAINST THE BASRAH PALACE COMPOUND; ALLEGED JAYSH AL-MAHDI INTENT TO USE CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN THE EVENT ROCKETS AND MORTARS PROVE INEFFECTIVE
AS OF LATE SEPTEMBER 2006, HAJI KHALID (LNU), COUSIN OF JAYSH AL-MAHDI SECURITY DIRECTOR JA'FAR HABIB AL-HAJAJ AKA HABIB ABU HAYDAR, HASAN (LNU), DRIVER AND RELATIVE OF HABIB ABU HAYDAR, AND (('ABD AL-HADI)) AKA ((ABU NU'IR)), A JAYSH AL-MAHDI MEMBER AND SECURITY CHIEF FOR AL BASRAH BRANCH OF THE IRAQI NATIONAL ACCORD PARTY PLANNED TO CONTINUE ATTACKING BRITISH MILITARY FORCES AT THE BASRAH PALACE COMPOUND WITH ROCKETS AND MORTARS IN RETALIATION FOR THE DEATH OF HABIB ABU HAYDAR. HAJI KHALID THREATENED TO USE CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST THE BASRAH PALACE COMPOUND IN THE EVENT THAT MORTARS AND ROCKETS PROVED INEFFECTIVE. KHALID NOTED THAT JAYSH AL-MAHDI MEMBERS WERE SPECIFICALLY TARGETING THE COMPOUND DURING MEAL HOURS AND WERE TRYING TO HIT A CAFETERIA LOCATED ON THE COMPOUND. KHALID WAS CONFIDENT THAT THEY WOULD SUCCEED IN AVENGING THE DEATH OF HABIB ABU HAYDAR AND ALSO COMMENTED THAT THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHEN VEHICLES WERE ENTERING AND EXITING THE BASRAH PALACE COMPOUND. (COMMENT: THERE WAS NO FURTHER INFORMATION AVAILABLE REGARDING THE TIMING, TARGETS OR METHOD OF THE PLANNED ATTACKS. ADDITIONALLY THERE WAS NO INFORMATION REGARDING THE TYPE OF CHEMICAL WEAPON TO BE USED OR TO INDICATE WHETHER JAYSH AL-MAHDI IN AL BASRAH POSSESSED CHEMICAL WEAPONS.)
DAGHIL HASAN MATAR, A LOCAL IRAQI WHO WORKED AT THE BASRAH PALACE COMPOUND, ALLEGEDLY SUPPLIED INFORMATION ON THE ACTIVITIES OF COALITION PERSONNEL AT THE PALACE COMPOUND TO HABIB ABU HAYDAR. FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF HABIB ABU HAYDAR, MATAR WAS KIDNAPPED AND KILLED BECAUSE JAYSH AL-MAHDI ASSUMED THAT MATAR TIPPED OFF COALITION PERSONNEL REGARDING THE LOCATION OF HABIB ABU HAYDAR. ADDITIONALLY, KADHIR ((SAHIR)) AND HIS FATHER ((ABU WATHIQ)) WERE JAYSH AL-MAHDI MEMBERS WHO CONDUCTED SURVEILLANCE OF THE BASRAH PALACE COMPOUND. THE TWO INDIVIDUALS LIVED IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX JUST OUTSIDE OF THE BASRAH PALACE AMERICAN GATE. SAHIR WORKED ON THE BASRAH PALACE COMPOUND IN A CLEANING POSITION. ABU WATHIQ MONITORED THE TRAFFIC ENTERING AND EXITING THE PALACE GATES FROM HIS APARTMENT.
CIOC Comment: There have been numerous attacks on the Basrah Palace compound in the past month, the most recent being on the 27th of September. The chemical threat however, is low. While JAM may be researching chemical munitions, there has been no evidence or reporting of any chemical attacks in the past. The chemical agent would most likely be vaporized in the explosion as JAM does not possess the necessary technology for a chemical delivery. The threat of an IDF on the Basrah Palace compound is high, but explosion and fragments cause a greater risk to CF forces than any chemical munitions that JAM may be able to attach to a warhead.